The present invention relates to a numerical control device which uses a general-purpose setting display section to display machining data, etc., for a numerical control device used to numerically control a machine tool or the like.
A conventional numerical control device of the same general type to which the invention pertains is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a paper tape on which machining data has been recorded; 2, an input section for inputting this data; 3, a control section implemented with a CPU (central processing unit); 4, a movable arithmetic section for converting the machining data into movable data; 5, a memory section for temporarily storing the machining data; 6, an output section for outputting machining instruction data from the control section 3; and 7, a machine tool which is operated automatically according to the control section 3, the movable arithmetic section 4, the memory section 5, and the output section 6 forming a numerical control section 10.
The setting display section 8, which serves as a man-machine interface for the numerical control section only, includes a display unit (not shown) and an operating board, namely, a keyboard (not shown). The setting display section 8 is exclusively connected to a data transmitting and receiving circuit 9 provided in the control section 3. The display unit fixedly displays in a predetermined format machining data temporarily stored in the memory section 5.
The operation of the numerical control device thus constructed will be described.
First, the machining data for the machine tool recorded on the paper tape 1 is applied to the control section 3 by the input section 2. The machining data thus applied is analyzed by the control section 3 and converted into movable data by the movable arithmetic section 4. The control section 3 outputs the latter data, as operating instruction data for the machine tool 7, through the output section 6, and accordingly the machine tool 7 is automatically operated. The machining data can be temporarily stored in the memory section 5 if necessary.
The contents of the machining data or movable data can be displayed on the display unit (not shown) in the setting display section 8. The operator can edit the data by operating the keys on the operating board (not shown). The setting display section 8 can be used for diagnosis of the overall numerical control device, or for simulating machining conditions on the screen utilizing the machining data.
Thus, as mentioned above the setting display section 8 is used as a man-machine interface unit. However, the main purposes of the setting display section 8 are to allow the operator to input machining data and to allow the programmer to enter programs for automatic control of the machine tool 7. In general, the setting display section 8 includes a display unit and an operating board, which are provided in the numerical control device, used to enter machining data and to perform programming operations. The operator or the programmer operates the operating board to perform the data entering operation or the programming operation.
The setting display section 8 in the conventional numerical control device is a special setting display unit used for the numerical control section 10 only, which displays machining data or the like in a fixed form at all times.
In the conventional numerical control device designed as described above, the display by the setting display section is in a dedicated form. Furthermore, since a fixed data interface is employed for the data transmitting and receiving section, no setting display unit other than the above-described special setting display unit can be employed. In addition, it is impossible to display data in a desired form using ASCII codes or the like.